1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to a time interval and event display device that couples a continuous time display with a visual representation of an important event and continuously informs the observer of the time interval from the represented event to present time, or remaining time to a future represented event.
2. Description of Prior Art
Electronic and mechanical time pieces having the capability to me a sure a and display lapse time from a starting time have been available for many years. These electronic devices use liquid crystal displays or analog display faces of time measurement to indicate lapse time or alternatively to start a signal when a particular time arrives. Mechanical devices are also used with or without some electronics. The only reference is time-lapsed seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years measured from starting time to present time.
Some time pieces may record more than one event, such as explained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,630,935 and 4,303,995. These devices indicate a plurality of dates and relate elapsed time from a starting time of each date or time. All such time devices relate to calendar dates, time periods, and numerical relationships of beginning and ending elapse times.
The original event from which the elapse time is measured is known only to the operator of the time piece. Others observing the time piece have no reference to the starting event or time. The actual event that the referred elapse time measures must be stored separately in human memory, computers, notes, or note books. For long elapsed time periods of months or years, or when a plurality of times are recorded, remembering or finding the relationship of an elapse time indicator to an event becomes difficult.
A camera with an elapsed time indicator (U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,025) photographs a current event. This camera records the event but cannot display the picture. The developed picture does not display continually elapsing time. Additional photographs do not indicate the unchanging first event and only record a fixed and unchanging elapsed time.
Many people display reminders of significant events in their lifetimes to recall achievements, honors, and pleasant events. These include photographs and certificates of marriages, anniversaries, graduations, professional achievements, historical events, child births, animal births, employee recognition""s, retirements, holidays, vacations, sports events etc. However these displays of the represented event do not reflect the increasing time to make the viewer aware of the continual passing of time or approaching time for a future represented event.
People striving to complete work before a future time event often mentally calculate remaining times but are not always aware of periods of time remaining to complete a task. This especially happens when many projects are pursued at the same time.
The present invention displays important events along with an associated continuing time indicator that will immediately remind the viewer of the event, indicate time interval from the event, and continue on in perpetual relation to the displayed event. If the depicted event is in the future, the present invention indicates and reminds the user of the time remaining to the displayed event to assist future planning and scheduling.
The present invention generally relates to a time interval and event display device that will visually and continually indicate to the viewer an accumulating or reducing time interval related to a displayed event. This time interval and event display device provides the viewer with immediate knowledge of the appropriate time span of the chronological measuring device related to an event without referring separately to a time indicator or to the reason the time measurement is being employed. The time interval reference relates to the depicted event and not the normal solar reference of time.
The time interval and event display device couples the time interval timing device having a visual numerical display along with the displayed event. This provides the viewer with a constant reminder of displayed events relative to changing time intervals to assist planning or recall the time intervals from pleasant or pertinent memories.
The time interval and event display device may also have included visual, mechanical, electronic or audible signaling devices programmed for future times to alert the owner of important times related to the displayed event. Alerts may include electronic email, phone calls, electronic pages etc. The time interval and event display device is capable of numerically measuring and displaying seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years separately or in any combination.
The time interval and event display device may be a video monitor with a depicted event displayed with the changing chronological time interval display where a computer or semiconductor microchips are programmed to indicate time intervals from past depicted events or remaining time to future depicted events.
Accordingly, one object of the invention is to visually inform or remind the viewer of continuous time intervals between a past event displayed on the device and the present time.
Another object of the invention is to visually inform or remind the user of continuous remaining time intervals between the present time and a future displayed event.
Another object of the invention is to provide programming of visual, audible, mechanical, electronic or any combination of these signals for future time alerts or reminders related to the displayed event.
Another object of the invention is to provide palpable reference of time intervals related to a palpably depicted event to inform or remind sightless people.
Another object of the invention is to use a video monitor as the time interval and event display device with a computer or semiconductor microchips providing the continuous relative time intervals from the present to past or future displayed event or events.